Paradise Found

Albie, the farmer's dog, wakes one morning to find that his companion Nellie has disappeared. Always together, Albie sets off in search of her. First he investigates the kitchen; The fire place, smell of food and cold stone floor are all the same but Nellie isn't there and her food bowl hasn't been touched. Albie heads into the garden to check for her there. In the garden he sees the familiar blackbirds, vegetable patch and green house but no sign of Nelllie. Albie decides to look beyond the security of the farmhouse and garden to the surrounding fields, the meadow, the beach and harbour but Nellie isn't there either. In the high street Albie finds a greengrocer, cafes and a butchers shop. He cannot resist stealing a sausage and chaos ensues but he is undeterred in this mission to find Nellie and sets off again into the countryside. There he refuses the temptation to hunt rabbits but instead is drawn into a narrow tunnel carved deep into the mountainside. Maybe Nellie has hidden herself in there? Instead of finding Nellie, Albie finds himself in the home of the ancient dragon Gwendolyn, who guards golden veins of quartz embedded in the rocks. She guides Albie back to his home at the farm with a riddle: 'asleep in the gold; five maybe more; farmer Jones' barn'. Albie barks his thanks and races back home. The valley home is singing with lapwings and dotted with heather. Albie runs past crumbing stone buildings and fields of wheat. He barks to announce his arrival back home as he enters the old barn and is answered by tiny yelps. Hidden in a golden straw nest is his beloved Nellie surrounded by six newborn pups. Albie, the proud father, settles in for a well deserved nap with his new family. Paradise Found is a gorgeous tale of hide and seek through a rich and varied landscape. Albie is the most endearing character and we follow his journey from the familiar to the unfamiliar as he hunts for his mate. This book is full of stunningly detailed descriptions, the smell of the salty sea, the bustling high street, the feel of the ancient sooty breath of the mountain dragon. John Milton paints a vivid picture through the eyes of a small dog and Helen Elliott's beautiful illustrations bring these scenes to life. Each scene wonderfully portrays the light, colour and activity of Albie's adventure to find Nellie. Readers will love seeing the world through the eyes of Albie, guessing where he might go next and what he might find along the way. Will they guess where Nellie can be found? Picture book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Emily Beale, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Paradise Found is a story about Albie, the farmer's dog who wakes up one morning to find that his friend Nellie has disappeared. From there on we are taken on a journey through the many different features of the local community. Milton writes about every colour, sound, smell and feeling in detail. The power of the story lies in Milton's ability to make us wake up; to alert the senses and to stop and appreciate the beauty and wonder of all that is around us. This would be a great story to share with a key stage 1 class (6+), before they embarked on a journey around their local community. It would inspire every young reader / writer to not be in such a rush, not to take for granted the everyday things that can so easily pass us by without a second thought. Together with Elliot's vivid and colourful illustrations, this book can make the ordinary and everyday into something quite extraordinary and wonderful. A great stimulus for story writing using the everyday as a path to creative and descriptive writing. 36 pages / Ages 6/7+ / Reviewed by Louise Gahan, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 3+